Spreading Wings
by Shinku Ryuuga
Summary: Jaune's life wasn't the best. But he liked to think he made it work for now. He had friends, he was in the school of his dreams. Soon enough, he'd take part in the Vytal Festival Tournament! The thing about his life, though, was that sometimes... things just didn't work out. But for other people, their plans certainly come to fruition quite well.
1. The Time Has Come To An End

**This story is inspired by 12interestingname34's story ****_The Chronicle Theatre Feat. Jaune Arc,_**** end of chp21, and chp22.**

* * *

To a young man like Jaune Arc, there was a certain place for everything in the world. He was a liar who had gotten into Beacon with fake transcripts that said he was an average student from a school that probably didn't exist. The blond kept a journal of things he'd done, thought, things like that. And he'd found a bit of an odd place for himself. He was a leader of a team, sure. But recently, things were changing.

While he'd gotten Cardin to stop bullying him, the taller brunet had started being... even smugger than usual. It was weird. Pyrrha had been acting oddly too. Jaune and her shared a mutual confession not too long ago, but agreed that starting to date so soon into school might not be a good idea. There were more than a few people showing why that was the case. Also, Ruby, his fellow team leader and first friend at Beacon, was beginning to act a little less friendly. With the current loads of homework, he could understand if she was stressed. But this seemed different from that.

Ren and Nora were still as close to him as ever, so that was nice. While his first ever adoptive brother was willing to be an ear, he didn't have much in the way of advice. Meanwhile, the bubbly hammer maiden was all too happy to hug his worries away. Jaune was glad to have her. It made life so much easier.

He picks up his pen from his journal as another thought enters his mind. Jaune grimaces a bit, glad his team were all out, as he recalls a recent call to his older sister, Saphron. Her wife had been out, as was their son, so he got her full vitriol. Just like back at home. And the words she ended that call with...

_"I don't understand why mom and dad even had you." A thin face, tanned with blue eyes very much like his own except for the disdain in them, looked out from the screen in the CCT's main calling center. "No one wanted you around. You're just a mistake, Jaune. It would've dragged our good name through dirt if news of your existence, and then lack thereof, was loose. Don't call Terra again. I don't need you giving my wife migraines just from existing!" The screen went dark before he could say anything else. Jaune just looked at the screen, with probably the same face he had been since Saphron first started ending the call. It was..._

It was a lot to take in. And Jaune wouldn't add it to his journal. Not when he still wasn't sure anyone else read it. That certainly wouldn't be Nora's only act of insubordination, but she never seemed to be the type who knew all of what he asked for help or talked about. Pyrrha, though... She had been acting like that, recently. And his attempts to ask why were all deflected, too. She was good at making it seem like her answers to some of his questions were things she just thought up but the way her eyes changed as Pyrrha remembered what she read made him think maybe he should make a fake journal or something. But, if he was paranoid about trusting his partner, what did that say about his ability to trust anyone else here?

Setting his pen down, Jaune gets up to go join his friends for dinner when his scroll buzzes. Blinking curiously, the blond picks it up and his blue eyes see that it was Headmaster Ozpin calling him. "Hello, Jaune speaking."

"Mister Arc. Could you come to the dormitory's administration office? It is closer to your current position than my own office." A glance out the window showed Ozpin's tower which seemed to only have one room, his, well behind the actual school portion of Beacon to Jaune.

"Sure. Is there... anything I should bring, sir?"

"No. Just yourself, Mister Arc." _Click_ went the scroll as Headmaster Ozpin hung up. Well, time to get going. He wondered why this was happening now. Couldn't this have waited until after he had eaten? Jaune diverts his plan of action... by two doors. He still had to go downstairs to get to that office. But hey, at least the Headmaster of Beacon was kind enough to come down from his tower to do this. It would've been a real hassle to walk around campus to get to...

"Uh, hey guys." Jaune looks at his teammates, lined up outside the door to the dorm admin office. Ren and Nora seemed confused, but Pyrrha was... oddly glowing. Why did she look like she'd been training and watching something she enjoyed? "What're you guys doing here?"

"I don't know. Professor Goodwitch just said for me and Nora to come here, and Pyrrha arrived not long after." Ren glances at his friend. This was certainly not how he wanted to spend dinner time. But at least he and his partner had only been in line when Glynda came for them.

Pyrrha, meanwhile, was a little dead to the world. Not even snapping in front of her face got a reaction. Jaune was worried, but he didn't get the chance to stay there and try more methods for long. Ozpin called him into the office. The blonde glanced around. He'd only been in here once, to get a replacement key after his own had been misplaced and somehow shot through. But somehow, sitting down in front of the silver-haired Headmaster, it seemed a lot more enclosed than before. The door not being open probably contributed to that.

"Allow me to be direct, Mister Arc. Your transcripts were brought up to me by a student not too long ago." Brown eyes were on the stiff form before him. "And by themselves, the transcripts are actually something I'd overlook any other day. You've proven you aren't the same young man that came to initiation, after all. That being said," Ozpin wondered what his muscles thought on relaxing and clenching again so quickly. "There was something else brought up to me about your time here at Beacon."

Jaune wanted to ask what. He wanted to ask who. But his body was still, his mouth kept closed, and his eyes were on Ozpin with confusion and fear.

"While your grades and combat results have gotten better, there is one thing you're lacking in. Leadership is not just being able to keep a team together, after all. You have not shown any form of strategic or tactical thinking while in team fights, and the results of that are your grades falling to an unacceptable level." Jaune took in a quick breath. "I'm sorry, Mister Arc.

"By order of the school board: You are hereby expelled."

Jaune wondered how long those words were echoing around his head. Thinking back on this moment later, he still wouldn't have an answer. Especially...

"You are being given the weekend to get together your things and find somewhere to go, whether that is a hotel or flight. As usual, Beacon will provide transportation back into Vale City proper. But anything else is on you, Mister Arc." Ozpin watched Jaune slowly lose his stiffness, but there was a certain light that was gone from his eye. "Go eat dinner, before the cafeteria closes. Enjoy whatever time left your former team gives you. And, telling them about your new status is yours to do at your leisure, but you are still leaving in four days, Mister Arc."

* * *

As Team JNPR walked back to their dorms, his teammates look at Jaune curiously. He'd tried to put on a show of not being affected by whatever the Headmaster said, but they could tell nothing was going well. Nora was the one to ask about it, once the door was closed.

"...I'm being expelled." Jaune smiles a bit at the gasps. It was always nice to hear someone cared. "I've got four days left in Beacon. Once the weekend is over, I'm on a Bullhead out."

His next words were stopped by a sudden loss of sitting up. Nora hugs were like that some days. He pats the short girl's back, and slowly sits up. Jaune smiles a bit at Ren, who was quite amused. Nora was passionate, if nothing else.

"We gotta make them see reason! You, you can't go! You're our fearless leader, our friend! This isn't right... Ren, Pyrrha, you guys think so too, right?!" Nora turns teary eyes to the others. Ren's amusement fades as he thinks on that. Pyrrha's own feelings were... a bit more complicated, and she was lightly nibbling on her lip.

Despite the situation, Jaune thought it was one of the cutest faces she'd ever made.

"Who all made the decision, Jaune?"

"According to Headmaster Ozpin, the school board."

"Then!"

"We'll have to let it go, Nora." ...even if he was being practical, that still hurt. Ren had been his honorary brother after all. "The school board doesn't take things like this lightly. If enough of them voted, it can't be overturned or anything like that. Not without sufficient evidence of... Why did they expel you, Jaune?"

"Something about not being good at strategy or tactics during team fights. Strategy I get, seeing as we aren't quite so able to make combo moves or anything like RWBY does. But I thought we're pretty good at tactics." Mostly 'Pyrrha, go be the point and distraction while we harass them' but they were all getting better. Pretty soon, it would've been different. Of course, now...

Ren looks to the taller redhead in the room. She had been surprisingly silent on this matter the whole time. Considering it was her partner and all, not to mention the guy she'd fallen in love with, he wondered why Pyrrha hadn't said anything yet. And evidently, glancing back at Jaune, he wasn't the only one. The blond had shifted Nora off his lap so she just clung to his arm while still sniffling a bit and trying to keep from crying too hard.

"Pyrrha? How come you're so quiet?"

"Just... thinking. This is so sudden, I'm still processing it. Not to the same extent you are or anything, Jaune! Just... this wasn't how I expected this week to go." She had expectations? Jaune had none out of the ordinary at all.

"Oh. Okay. Well, why don't we all get some sleep. I'm going to spend tomorrow looking up a place to go, pack, and we'll spend the rest of my time here as a team!" Nora quite liked the sound of that, jumping up with a wobbly 'YEAH' before grinning at Jaune. In short order, everyone was settled in their beds with some snores sounding out.

Normally, Jaune could go to sleep while listening to Pyrrha be a chainsaw. Tonight though, he wanted to stay up a little longer and memorize these sounds. It'd make him feel even lonelier when they weren't around, but hey. Pleasant memories and all. That was how he'd look at this time.


	2. It's Only The Cold Wind I Feel

**This story is inspired by 12interestingname34's story ****_The Chronicle Theatre Feat. Jaune Arc,_**** end of chp21, and chp22.**

* * *

That was his plan, at least. But as the morning sun hit his eyes, Jaune slowly sat up and glances at his team. He smiles a bit, their sleeping sounds a bit quieter now. Well, while they did that, he'd begin his search for a place to go. Pyrrha's snores were a good background noise, if nothing else.

"...do you really have to go...?" That was way too pitiful to be who he thought it was. A glance over showed a pair of still sad blue eyes peeking at Jaune from behind a pillow, though Nora wasn't sitting up.

"I looked up the rules about it during dinner, Nora. Ren's right, we'd need everyone who voted I should leave to change their minds. I'm pretty sure that isn't possible." Jaune smiles at the short girl who pouted audibly. Turning back to his scroll, he looks at some places he could afford to go on his meager bank account. Oh wow, that was a good deal for going to Mistral...

The blond leans back a bit, opening an arm to let Nora in for resting on his chest as the grenadier clutched at his blue onesie. Jaune figured this would work out well. If he remembered his news, after Vale, the floating Amity Colosseum would make its way towards Haven next. It would be two years before he got to see his friends again, but at least he knew where they'd be. That was so much better than nothing besides scroll calls or the like.

In a few minutes, Nora scampered over to the bathroom to take a shower. While she took a bit longer than him or Ren, it was definitely not as long as Pyrrha could with her long red hair. Jaune put the final touches on his plans, knowing that the sooner he got this ticket across the world the less expensive it'd be, and glances over as the shower starts up and Ren sits. The pink-eyed young man rubs at his ocular orbs and yawns a bit. The two share a greeting before he goes to start brushing his hair. Long, but well cared for. And still not as much as Pyrrha dealt with.

After a bit of small talk about what they'd be up to today, not classes for Jaune, Nora skipped out in her uniform. "Good morning, Renny!" She grins up at her longtime friend before glancing to Jaune, smiling at him, and looking to Pyrrha. Who still slept along.

None of them could help the chuckles as Ren made his way into the bathroom next. The Invincible Girl, one of the most polite people in all of Beacon, with a Semblance that made her near untouchable on the battlefield... slept in every opportunity she could take. Jaune wondered how long it'd take for her to be that comfortable around his replacement... Did Beacon do replacement team members? Hm. Well, that wasn't his concern any more. The blond slowly gets out of his bed to go do his part of the morning routine that came before a shower: Waking up his partner.

And wasn't that quite the silly sight, Pyrrha Nikos blearily looking around and mumbling, rubbing her eyes as the emeralds drew in what was going on around her. Jaune can't help grinning as he pokes her shoulder. "Come on, Pyrrha. Ren is nearly done with his shower. Your turn soon."

"Huh? Buh Jaune, yor show'r..." Eesh, she must've stayed up later than he expected if Pyrrha sounded like this.

"I'm not going to class, Pyrrha. Remember? So you go first, I've got other things to do today."

"...okie." The redhead meanders her way out of bed, her nightgown keeping most of her movements hidden as she slowly makes her way to the closet. Nora was on standby in case Pyrrha forgot to grab anything, but that was unnecessary. The shower was still running, so she just slowly piled together what she'd be wearing. Jaune didn't look to see what she'd get. He had his flight, now he needed a place to stay.

So much planning...

* * *

Jaune groans a bit as he walks over to the cafeteria for lunch. He wondered how many people knew he was expelled now... It was a little hard to imagine people wouldn't ask why he wasn't there. Or that Ruby wouldn't ask his former team, at least. The other members of RWBY asking about him would be quite the surprise.

He nods to Velvet as the rabbit woman exits the cafeteria. It was still a little silly that she was in a different schedule than her own team, but at least the brunette was doing well. Her short nod back as she passes seemed a bit more curt than usual. Why would that be? They weren't friends, but Jaune thought they were at least courteous to one another...

Well, if she wanted to close that door, that was fine. The blond doubted he'd see her or anyone from Beacon besides his friends ever again. A Huntsman's work took them far and wide, but the heart of Mistral where people were quite secure? Not much subjugation needed there.

As his thoughts took a turn, so did Jaune's feet. Which led to him running into the back of a shorter young woman. "Oh, I'm sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going!" As he waves his hands a bit, the woman in a green dress with VERY long blonde hair ending in green tips looks at him as she regains her balance. Familiar but new green orbs look at him.

"You're alright. Though be glad I didn't have any food. That would have been quite the tantrum I'd throw." Oh wow, everything about her face and voice seemed real familiar... "Name's Atalanta Nikos. You're Jaune Arc, right?"

Ttttthhhhhat was probably why.

"I am. I... haven't heard much about you though. Pyrrha doesn't talk about her family much." Letting go of the shaken hand, he motions for her to keep going up the line. A glance to a side showed his friends were not in the cafeteria right now. Was he early or late... he hadn't heard any bells. "She seemed real happy whenever we wanted to know about her personally, but anything about her family usually makes her a bit, uh..."

Jaune raises an eyebrow as Atalanta snorts. "Yeah, that doesn't surprise me too much. While our parents are kinda... not the best, they do love us. Meanwhile, her time in the spotlight has made Pyrrha even more of a wallflower than before." Wow, that was some serious scorn. "So much so, she left me behind without a word about where she wanted to go for complete Huntress training..."

Oooookay... maybe it was time to talk about something less triggering. Think, think, think...

...

...

Well. He had nothing. And they were getting close to the end of the line. "So what brings you here? All the schools taking part in the Vytal Festival finished arriving last week." There we go! Jaune hadn't even thought too hard, meaning it was natural and wouldn't be bad to talk about.

"Well, I came by to see Pyrrha and her team. I'm not fighting in Amity this year, my team didn't make the cut. But I do have a few days off from school that I'm using to surprise her with a visit." Atalanta glances up at him. "Speaking of which, how come you're not in class right now?" The bell rang, stopping him from answering for a moment. "Won't your team get a demerit or something without their leader?"

"Ah... well..." Jaune scratches his cheek at that. "I'm, not their leader right now. Anymore, actually. As of last night, that was taken away from me by the school board. Headmaster Ozpin gave me four days to figure out what I'm doing with my life." That caused the blonde in green to blink curiously. "But they all should be coming here soon. We can grab a table and I'll introduce you."

"Mm. That sounds nice. Thank you, Jaune." Atalanta smiles before turning to order her lunch. "Maybe you can tell me a few things about Pyrrha too. She gushes about you all quite a bit, but her own exploits are... typically guessed by our parents to be perfect results. And anything less, well." She shakes her head ruefully. "Meanwhile, I'm the spare that no one cares for."

Jaune didn't realize he'd grimaced until the lunch lady about to take his order looked offended. After hurriedly making his apologies, the young man goes about getting his meal. A thought occurs in the middle of the line. But he keeps it in until they get to a table. Sitting down next to the blonde who puts her hair up into a pair of pigtails so it didn't drag on the floor, Jaune glances at her. "So, how come you're able to have lunch in here? If you were a student from somewhere that's taking part in the Vytal Festival, that'd be one thing, but you... aren't."

"Nope. I'm actually able to eat here thanks to the visitor's pass I have. Apparently someone likes jokes, because I'm able to be here so long as I surprise my family in some way. And I'm quite sure seeing me next to you will surprise Pyrrha." The girl who gave him the impression of a lioness for some reason laughs into her hand before reaching for her fork.

Jaune would join her after looking over. Oh, there was Team RWBY! Which meant his own former team wasn't far behind. ...hang on, that was Team CRDL coming in behind them. Except for Cardin. Ren and Nora looked uncomfortable as they entered the cafeteria. And right behind them was... Pyrrha. Not alone.

She was on Cardin Winchester's arm.

Atalanta glances over on hearing a fork clatter to the table. She follows Jaune's shocked gaze and raises her eyebrow. "Huh? I thought you were gonna be her boyfriend once the next break started?" Those words lit something in his chest. The blonde Nikos watches as the Arc marches over.

Pyrrha was laughing at something Cardin said, the two not noticing him yet. But once Jaune barked out "Pyrrha!", they looked. Her green eyes went wide. "What... how? Why?! W-we... we said we loved each other!" His blue eyes look between them. "What is...?"

Cardin grins. "What do you think, Jauney? Don't we make a cute couple?"

Pyrrha smiles a bit at him before taking a breath. "I'm sorry Jaune, but... I actually love Cardin. I didn't really love you." Despite her attempt to be strong, it hurt to see Jaune silently cry in front of her. Still, this was what her heart wanted most... she thought.

Cardin's grin widens as he watches Jaune run passed him and out the cafeteria. "I guess he doesn't take rejection well."

"Dang, sis. I didn't think you could do that." Pyrrha turns and looks happy to see her twin, while Cardin is surprised given he can't see the resemblance for a moment. But before the redhead could say anything, she's slapped. "What the hell are you thinking?! This lunk over Jaune?! What is wrong with you!"

Nora and Ren agree that this is not right as Atalanta Nikos rips into Pyrrha's decision in front of the whole cafeteria. They didn't know when it started, but considering Cardin had just pat Pyrrha's head like she was a pet and she looked so happy about it before class started... Ren would stay out of it.

But Nora felt like something bad was going on. Not just for her former leader, but for his former partner. At the same time, why did she feel happy that Pyrrha had evidently given up on Jaune?

Ruby looks at the scene with a bit lip. "...was it really a good idea to stay here?" She glances at Weiss, who'd grasped her arm to keep the Rose from following in a flutter of rose petals.

"Yes. Jaune Arc is essentially persona non grata now. He is... It means Jaune is unwelcome in Beacon now. And it is unlikely he'll be allowed inside these walls ever again once he leaves in a few days." Weiss felt like she shouldn't have had to explain persona non grata, but at the same time, Yang and Blake didn't know all of the words she did either. Ruby would certainly have a much smaller range thanks to her less complete education from Signal.

"You are better off not associating with him at all any more, Ruby. It will make you a better leader to tell when someone is good to spend time with, and when they are not." Cold blue eyes look at Pyrrha, still getting the third degree from a mystery blonde in pigtails. And her new boyfriend. "Like Cardin. Whatever else he is, we can all agree he is not a good person to interact with."

"So why is Pyrrha apparently dating him?" Blake looks up from her tuna sandwich to ask this of Weiss. It was a curiosity for her, nothing more.

"Eh, P-Money is probably going through a phase. I know I like my men with some muscles. And Cardin does have that, buuuut a little too much for me." Yang butted in, picking up her spoon. She'd felt like porridge today.

Ruby was unsure, but if her team felt like it was better to act like this...


	3. What's Done Is Done

**This story is inspired by 12interestingname34's story ****_The Chronicle Theatre Feat. Jaune Arc,_**** end of chp21, and chp22.**

* * *

Jaune pants as he sits in an empty classroom. He had done his best to find a place to be alone, since he had a lot to take in. Pyrrha... didn't love him. Why? What did he do wrong? It made no sense... He glares at the desk, hitting it as he can only think of one thing that would cause this to happen.

But why would Cardin do this to him? What the hell had he done to that guy?! Besides the obvious, at least... But not being some bully's plaything was just the natural state of people, wasn't it? Ugh... Thinking too hard about why that asshole would want to do this to him would just hurt Jaune's head. He had better uses of his time than to try and understand that sort of thought process.

Okay, so he had to spend the next few nights sleeping on the bed next to a woman who didn't love him any more. That... would be something to stomach. But if the echoes he heard were any consolation, Pyrrha's sister was not taking that well. Which made sense, considering this was probably the first Atalanta heard of it too. He really hoped Ren and Nora would have something to say to help him.

But for now, he wipes his arm across his face one last time. Jaune takes in a breath before slowly blowing it out. He stands up from the desk, turning to head out of the classroom. Unfortunately, running from reality wouldn't help. He had to go face it. He had been expelled, even if he was still allowed in Beacon for the next few days. Much as he didn't want to, Jaune already had plans. And now the girl he thought had been in love with him was dating someone else.

But his grandpa's words would help. Him, his friends, and Jaune's own sense of himself. An Arc didn't go back on his word, and an Arc definitely wouldn't let things like this keep him from doing his damnedest to be his best! So with a face set, he goes back towards the dorms to start packing.

Or that WAS his plan, until he ran into someone again. And, as Jaune gets up from the floor, he sees it was the same girl as earlier. "Atalanta? What're you doing here?"

Emerald eyes so like Pyrrha's glowed a bit at him. "Jaune! Finally. These halls are way too long... Since my sister is being an idiot, I came in her place." Why was it lion ears he could see popping out of her head as the Nikos twin stood up and placed a hand on her chest, looking quite pleased to be of use. "Why don't I help you plan further? I heard from that Valkyrie girl you've planned out where you're going. And since I'm from Mistral, I know quite a bit about it. My expertise will likely be of great use to you."

Smiling, the blue-eyed young man nods. "Sure. I'm from Anima too, actually. A little town away from the big cities, and..." Jaune rubs his head as he leads the way to the only room he knew with a map or screens big enough for them to actually plan things together. As he tells Atalanta about some of his history that he's sure Pyrrha must already have, the young man feels like a weight is slipping from his chest. It had been awhile since he'd been able to talk to someone like this. Even talking with Pyrrha, there was a certain awkwardness since they knew they'd be dating in the future... up until a few days ago. Hm.

"Do you... have any idea why Pyrrha would...?" It definitely still hurt to even think about, much less say. But Jaune figured it would be best to treat this like a bandaid or something: Get it over with quickly and move on. Otherwise, he'd probably dwell on it for too long. She obviously hadn't, after all...

"I... actually spent a while just yelling at Pyrrha about being so dumb. Didn't hear a thing she had to say about wanting to date that guy." Atalanta huffs. "There's just no reason for it... You're a pretty swell guy from what she told us, and then this musclehead comes in when the most I remember her ever mentioning him was 'Jaune's bully that stopped bullying him, yay.' And then she went on about how cool you looked swinging your sword..."

Well, that didn't help. "I don't know if she'll tell me, considering everything... But maybe Nora can tell me after hearing it. Just gonna have to wait and see." And hope he could still eventually find someone. A hope and a will, a few of his grandpa's favorite words.

"And, thanks. I know we've only just met and al-"

"Oh, don't thank me for stating the truth. You were nice to talk to earlier, and that hasn't changed. ...little surprised you can stomach being next to me, honestly." Jaune glances down, taking in the fact that the Nikos twins had only one major difference in their heads. "Are you doing alright, Jaune?"

"...I will be. Anyone that thinks they'll be okay right after something like that... Either they're lying, or they're sociopathic. And I'm not either of those." He sighs a bit, rubbing his face. Jaune wished he wasn't going through this at all, but, lying, running from reality, all that...

* * *

Ruby Rose paces back and forth as she waits for her partner to get back to the library. She'd been studying for an upcoming test, but on her own... Thoughts were circling. Was it really a good idea to not talk to Jaune now? Sure, he'd been expelled, but he was still a good guy. Her first friend at Beacon. Weiss and her had started off with less than nice words, after all. Sure, they were in a better place now, but still...

The young leader rubs at her face. The motion causes something else to move, and she glares down. Ugh... How Yang dealt with the various growing pains, she didn't know. Though it may have had something to do with her not doing much at all. Her purple-eyed sister had entered the middle of her thirteenth year and after a couple weeks, BOOM done. The rest of her body had been through hard work, but not up top, noooo. That was the easy part. Ruby, meanwhile, had only started to change last year and it was STILL going on. Her normal attire and Beacon uniforms would need to be updated soon.

Though speaking of updates, maybe Crescent Rose would need some fine-tuning... Her baby had been made with a slimmer Ruby in mind, and while the shaft had grown with her in height, it wasn't that much. Meanwhile, the amount of scythe blade had needed a couple changes from being too heavy to being too light to almost being right now. But Ruby felt like something was missing still... Maybe a third mode?

No, she already had one of those, technically. Turning the scythe into a glaive wasn't something she did often, so maybe it was more like a special move though... and it was partially going back into sniper mode too, so... But there was that little spike at the bottom of the shaft. Maybe Crescent Rose was fine for now... Well, she was perfect. But still. Dad had said there was no such thing as perfect, so she needed to do a bit more looking around for the best way to make her weapon better. And herself.

...which just reminded Ruby that she was trying to run away from a problem in the form of her friendship with Jaune. Why was it _even_ a problem?! Sure, he annoyed Weiss for months. And Yang and Blake weren't too keen on him either. But he hadn't tried flirting with Weiss since before Neptune showed up and he hadn't asked her out to the upcoming dance at all. Jaune had been making a lot of progress to go from 'annoyance' to 'possible friend', Ruby had seen that! But now he was leaving... maybe she should've asked him out to the dance. It would be an excuse to keep him around longer. But it was two weeks away, Amity Colosseum was coming closer, so... urgh. Oh, there's Weiss back. Time to get to work!

* * *

Elsewhere in the library, two blondes were looking at a map. The slightly shorter girl, wearing a green dress and heels that still didn't let her meet the boy she was helping at eye level, thought this was probably the most fun she'd had all visit. It didn't involve her sister, which was... a bit of a mixed blessing. Because while Atalanta was happy to not be in Pyrrha's shadow for the moment as she had been while growing up, she was not happy it was because Pyrrha had been a moron of the highest degree. At least she hadn't brought Jack with her. That child would be quite enamored with Beacon as a whole and trying to act happy all the time for her would've been a hard thing to do.

Spending time with Jaune helped. And she was starting to see why Pyrrha had been so enamored with the guy. He made good jokes, there was not a hint of trying to use her to advance his own agenda into something nefarious, and he was just a good guy. So how in the name of the Kings did her sister mess up so hard?! It would drive Atalanta bonkers, she just knew it...

"...and there are some good places around here, but they're a little more expensive. You're not too bad looking, so you can probably get a job easily in these parts of town but the rent is not that good. And down here, you can get some places on a lease without much trouble, but I think the area and you are a bad match."

Jaune whistles a bit. He glances around as she talks about the capitol city of Mistral. It was more than a little amazing. "How come you know all this? I know some people look into real estate when they're trying to move out, but this seems a bit... more. Like you've actually been to these places." He turns his eyes from the map to Atalanta.

"That would be because I have been. My schedule, even at Haven, is a lot freer than Pyrrha's. So I spent some time looking around for a place once I've out on my own." She swallows a bit, rubbing at her neck as the green-eyed girl thinks on what else happened during her search. "...I also, um, adopted a girl from the streets. Her name is Jacquline, but she likes to be called Jack. I almost brought her, but she wanted to stay in Mistral for now."

Jaune blinks at Atalanta. "Wow... That is so kind of you, Atalanta!" He grins at the woman in green, who turned away with a light blush.

And now she had a better idea of how Pyrrha had first fallen. Darnit.

"Well, I've gotta go for a moment. But I'll beeee right back!" Jaune turns to walk for a restroom. On his way, he blinks, seeing a familiar pair at a table. "Oh, hey there Ruby, Weiss! How're you?"

Weiss gave him a look that was quite a bit more agitated than he normally got. It threw him for a second. But Ruby's pained expression just caused a bit more worry to appear in Jaune's head. "Jaune... please, stop talking to me." While her frown made him try to think she didn't mean it, the victorious look on the Schnee's face drove the blond away from the girls. And right out the library.


	4. The World Has Turned

**This story is inspired by 12interestingname34's story ****_The Chronicle Theatre Feat. Jaune Arc,_**** end of chp21, and chp22.**

* * *

The next two days were not the most fun for Jaune. His first friend at Beacon had been adamant in her not wanting to talk with him, even when they'd met without anyone else around. He still shared a room with Pyrrha, the girl who'd broken his heart for the guy that had bullied him. At least Nora and Ren had switched beds so that he didn't have to sleep next to his former partner. It was weird, sleeping in a bed that smelled of Ren. He looked forward to not needing to do that again.

Jaune was finishing up packing now, sighing a bit. This would be his final night at Beacon, and after this he'd be out on his own. At least he'd be spending the flight with Atalanta. She had a layover at the airport he'd be getting off at, but a friendly face would be nice. Maybe he'd finally ask why a redhead and a blonde were identical besides their hair. And given the hugs he'd gotten after dinners, he was confident that despite their different fighting styles, the Nikos twins were indeed identical. The Arc lad didn't think he was a pervert, but given he'd seen Pyrrha in her underwear more than once probably not by accident...

Heading out of his dorm room, the blond shakes his eyes. There wasn't a need to try and recall seeing that form with his blue eyes. She wouldn't be his. It was saddening. It was aggravating. But it was true. Jaune Arc would not be Pyrrha Nikos's first boyfriend. Probably not her second, either. Or any number... Ugh. He needed something to eat. He got philosophical and pessimistic on an empty stomach.

Entering the dining hall after a few minutes, Jaune glances around. His friend circle had diminished, and broken apart. Pyrrha spent her dinners with Team CRDL and her new boyfriend, Nora and Ren were currently at a table of their own but he and Atalanta would join them soon. Team RWBY was at their usual spot, but given they'd labeled him not worth the effort to try and talk to, let alone save given they all had their own forms of pull in this school... Jaune got in line to get his dinner.

Just one more night, and tomorrow afternoon, he'd be out. Gone. Pushed by someone he didn't know but had a strong hunch about. A glance over at Beacon's newest first year couple just helps cement that, given the brown orbs he saw smirking back before they turned away. Jaune didn't keep watching as Cardin leaned down towards Pyrrha.

* * *

Nora's strong arms wrapped around Jaune's chest, the orangette crying into his unarmored pecs. "NOOOO! Don't go! You're my fearless leader, that's never gonna change!" The hand patting her head didn't quiet her at all.

"Don't worry, Nora. I'll see you in the future, I just know it." Neither did that, the grenadier just getting louder. "And since we have each other's numbers, we can text whenever you want. I'll be in a city most of the time, after all. I'll let you know when I land in Mistral three days from now." Turquoise eyes look up at his deeper blue eyes. "It'll be alright. Thanks for seeing me off, Nora."

It hurt that even Ren hadn't come, just waving to him as he left the dorm. Pyrrha, of course, hadn't been around, but she was actually training instead of being off with Cardin. That part had helped, though Nora being down and then bursting into tears just minutes before he had to go wasn't.

Nora sniffed, and pushed her forehead against his sweater again. "...I'll hold you to that. Whenever I want!" She stepped back, pulling some tissues from a satchel below her holster for Magnhild. Jaune chuckles as she blows her nose, sounding like a trumpet of all things. He pats her shoulder before turning to the bullhead. Atalanta was already on board, holding a seat open for him. The blond turns, waving to his friend as he goes. Nora waved back frantically with both hands. Was she trying to say something? He couldn't hear her over the engines, and his view of Nora was temporarily blocked by the doors closing before he got to see her again through the window.

But even that was a fleeting glimpse as he kept waving back, watching his short friend become a speck before the side of the bullhead turned away from Beacon and began flying toward Vale City. Jaune takes in the scenery before turning to get his seat next to the girl he knew to be an archer. "Thanks for the pills, Atalanta. I'm feeling way better thanks to them."

The friendly Nikos nods to him. "You're welcome. After we land, we've got an hour before we have to go to the terminal for Mistral flights. What do you want to do while we wait?" That got Jaune to thinking. While he'd like to spend that time in an arcade, he didn't know if the airport would have that as an option. And he'd get food on the flight...

"Why don't we get some books? I've just got a couple comics, but I want to see if anything new has come out. And maybe learn something if I can find something interesting enough." He nods to himself. That sounded like a good idea.

Unfortunately, it wasn't to be. Midway through the flight over Forever Fall and parts of the Emerald Forest, the bullhead began turning. Passengers up and down the bullhead were confused. What was going on? Most of them were civilians, coming up to see the Vytal Festival's stands and attractions while others were Huntsman and Huntress students, with one former. There were a couple full-blown ones aboard, but they were supposed to be in the cockpit, weren't they?

**"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard the last flight you'll be on for a long time."** The voice was measured, even as it made that horrible joke. Jaune recognized it was a much younger man than the pilot from earlier. **"If you'll stay in your seats, this will all go smoothly. It'd be quite the shame if we had to make... examples, of any _would-be heroes_, wouldn't it?"**

Atalanta scowls as she returned to her seat. If there was a fight in the bullhead's passenger compartment, it probably wouldn't be just the ones with training who got hurt. That was not something she'd have on her conscious, especially with all the children on board.

**"Just stay strapped in and eeeeverything will be fine~ It won't be long before you're returned to your homes and families, don't worry your pretty little heads."** Jaune grimaces. That certainly was not going to happen if anyone did something the current pilots didn't like. He glances around, taking in the looks of worried people. Much as he wanted to try and help, what could he say? Or do? Ugh...

During the flight of a couple hours, during which people were kept away from the front of the bullhead despite their reason to approach it, Jaune learned that Atalanta was able to adopt a little girl despite being a student through asking her parents a favor. "They don't usually... remember I'm around, but there are times when I ask for help and they give it. They didn't realize I was adopting a little girl despite signing a whole bunch of papers until I brought her back home and they met her. Jack is actually a really nice girl, if a little... odd. So legally, she's my little sister. But she's my daughter really."

The boy set across from them looks over curiously. "Man, you must have some real inattentive parents. I don't think I've ever heard of ones like that outside the really rich people." He glances around. "...well, discounting my own folks. I and my cousin here didn't have any supervision either, after all."

Jaune smiles a bit. "Well, did you enjoy your time at the Vyt-aahh!" The tall young man falls from his seat, having taken off his seatbelt an hour ago. He hadn't expected the sudden bout of turbulence. Looking around, a few others were in the same position.

**"We have arrived at our first flight change, people! Don't worry about your luggage, you'll... possibly, see it again later. But for now, just make an orderly line out the doors and we'll all be on our way to our final destination."** As the young pilot spoke, he opened up both sides of the bullhead. And people screamed as they saw the mass of Grimm around it. After all, they all thought they'd be torn to shreds. Jaune grits his teeth, standing protectively in front of the pair of cousins as he watches others try to get as far from the doors as possible, while the Huntsman and Huntress students hopped out to be guards. **"I SAID AN ORDERLY LINE, FOLKS!"**

He glances up at the speaker. While one of the students had been about to fire some Dust rounds from their wrist-mounted cannon, those words made someone next to them lower their arm. **"We need you alive, after all. Just, don't go running at the Grimm. That's the easiest way to come out of this unharmed."**

Jaune frowns at that. But it does slowly get people outside the bullhead. The civilians all stay near the ship though, or as close as they can. He and Atalanta get near the front, leaving the cousins to hopefully stay safe. Not too long after, two more bullheads arrive. Despite their lack of decoration, these were meant for longer journeys than between a Huntsman school and a city, they recognized that much. The Arc swallows a bit. His grandfather's words echo in his head a bit. Keep hope alive, however you can. That was one of the best weapons against the Grimm. Kept them away from settlements, while actual weapons were the better choice for up close and personal.

**"Great! Now that everyone is out, please go into the bullhead ahead of you. Don't touch the Grimm. I know that sounds obvious, but I just want to be sure no one is an idiot about this."** The young man chuckles into the microphone, the speaker distorting it into something far more intimidating than it had any right to be. Jaune grits his teeth, walking with Atalanta towards the bullhead in front of them. It was a bit more militaristic, with only one way in, the back. As the door closed behind them, the two blondes look at each other. Just how long would it be before they saw home again?


	5. I Don't Know The Season

**This story is inspired by 12interestingname34's story ****_The Chronicle Theatre Feat. Jaune Arc,_**** end of chp21, and chp22.**

**Please stop sending me ideas. I appreciate them, but I already have a plan for how things will go. Most of the ideas I receive run counter to this plan or just don't fit. Thank you, some of them are pretty good and would fit in a more lighthearted story. But this is not the place for them.**

* * *

As the bullhead they were on lands in front of a gigantic silver dome in a part of Forever Fall well away from any towns or cities, Jaune grimaces a bit. The pill he'd taken to make his motion sickness a nonfactor was starting to wear off. At least he could hop off and take a few breathes before anything came up. So it had been... about six hours since they left Beacon. Good to know. There was probably a search party already finding the original bullhead they'd taken, so it would just be another couple hours or so when the police or someone showed up... right?

But until that time, Jaune walks alongside Atalanta into the facility. He thinks he catches a glimpse of a black dress on one of the catwalks above, but it was just a fleeting look. Instead, the attention of the people that enter is taken by the door closing loudly behind them. "Welcome, ladies, gentlemen, children." A cultured voice brings gazes up again, to a catwalk where a man with a thick moustache stands and watches them. He was dressed rather nicely, considering where they were... "You're likely wondering what is going on. You will learn about details like that in due time. For now, simply follow the path and begin going into the rooms one by one as you find them. Anyone trying to stick together will be split again."

Green eyes watch as some people turn backwards. There were doors lining the entire hallway, with an intersection further down leading to even more. There didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the length between doors as they weren't uniformly spaced. Jaune finds himself one of the last people to find a room, having been jostled into the middle of the group and away from Atalanta. There went any chance to try and plan together, it seemed. The Arc takes in the room he was in, how it was a smaller dome inside this bigger one. Or seemed that way, anyway. "Man, no bed? I'm gonna complain about the room service before even ordering anything."

A scoff draws his attention upwards. "I'm sure you'll find this room quite comforting in short order, young man." The man reaches into his coat, pulling out a stopwatch. "Your first meal is in a few minutes. I suggest you savor it." He chuckles to himself, the salt-and-pepper-haired man walking further down the catwalk.

...he couldn't hear anything once he disappeared though. What the heck kind of sound-proofing Dust did this place have lining its walls? This seemed insane! No, not seemed, it was! Not just the construction, but the kidnapping as a whole. Jaune frowns to himself as he sits down. He wanted to try and deny them, that man and whoever his superiors were, any pleasure from his doing as told, but the blond had been taught a few things as leader of a team at Beacon that most others weren't. And one of those was what to do when captured by someone.

Keeping up his strength was one of the best things he could do here. With that in mind, Jaune rested from the stress of the situation earlier and the walking as he waited for his first meal. There'd be time to plan and figure out a way to leave once he had a full stomach and clear head.

* * *

Arthur Watts looks at a screen, tapping a few keys. "The robots have been sent out with food. And as per your orders, everything has been laced with some measure of the water from that pool. But, why boil things in it? That diluted the effects on our last batch quite a bit, Mistress." It was rare he asked questions like this, as they were logical enough to earn no beatings or anything from the woman in black, red highlights on her dress as her bone-white skin and hair stand out in the computer room's lights.

The Dark Queen smirks. "A fair question, Arthur. We're trying to get them used to it. The macaroni and cheese made with water from the Grimmpool will be a good start. Along with the glass of it to wash it all down. Unlike any other poison, they will not gain any resistance to it." She chuckles darkly, her red eyes on black sclera taking in the blonde in a green dress on a monitor. "I look forward to seeing how they all break. It'll be quite the experience."

Her bare feet clap lightly on the metal floor as she begins to leave. "I look forward to hearing how my experiment turns out, Dr. Watts."

He bows to her swaying hips. "Of course, Mistress Salem." He brings his green eyes on a screen where a Huntsman was, believing this would be one of the better subjects. The screen switches over to Jaune after a few seconds, the former student eating along with most everyone else right now. Arthur turns away to have his own meal, free of anything Grimm related entirely. His own kitchen was up here, separate from what the robots would be using.

And he was glad of that, as Arthur did not wish to join the test subjects in their transformations at all.

* * *

How long had it been now? Jaune didn't know just how long he'd held on to his hope as strongly as he could. But he did know that he was on his twentieth bicycle crunch, meaning it was time to rest. Five sets down. So next would be...

An interruption. He rolls onto his feet as the door opens, and he growls a bit at the people walking in. White Fang, without weapons but these four terrorists were enough to pin him down if he let them. Which Jaune did not do after the first time, so he gets up into a fighting stance. The time in this place with no sunlight had left him pale, his hair limp and frayed without any real baths or showers. But there was plenty of time to get used to how this stupid facility treated him. His only contact with people were the White Fang, who came in to beat him senseless and leave harsh words that echoed in their and other people's voices.

Today was... no different. He put up a fight, but as the Faunus terrorists left, Jaune was bruised and curled into a ball. He heard words that had been growled at him... but not just the racist things from them today. No, Jaune's mind decided to bring up some other things.

Pyrrha, proudly declaring her love for Cardin.

_**crck**_

Saphron, denouncing his existence as unwanted.

_**crack**_

Ruby, pushing him away.

_**krkl**_

His father, proclaiming he'd never measure up to anything.

_**pop **_WHY DID EVERYTHING HURT?!

Ozpin, kicking him out of the one place he'd ever wanted to go.

_**WHOOSH**_went the two new appendages on Jaune's back as his now red eyes look up, his throat sore from screaming so long. Purple cracks riddled his body, a dark light coming through with most of it pouring out from where he now had wings.

But another voice broke through. One he'd been remembering on and off. His grandfather, telling him that hope and will were what got people through the darkest of times. To keep hope was hard... but to inspire it in others, that was what Jaune had aimed to do after graduating. He couldn't do that now, but...

Jaune roars out, the purple glow from the cracks changing into the pure white of his Aura, with a few golden bits shining through his chest. With one more flash, his body explodes. Left behind is a humanoid dragon, but there was something quite different about this one compared to any other Grimm. Yes, there was bone plating and the scales blacker than pitch. On the head was a short muzzle, filled with sharp teeth.

Above those teeth? Blue eyes. Wild, unseeing. But blue.

Slowly getting to his feet, the beast that was Jaune roars at the wall again, the sound resonating throughout the building despite the solid sound-proofing. Which was soon punctured by his form, stronger than many men had tried to become. It took a few tries, but the young man flaps his wings and glides out over the trees. Away from the facility, the place that caused so much pain. He just wanted to be somewhere safe... whatever that meant now.

In the camera room, the chairs were empty. Arthur and Salem were stood upon the catwalks now, looking out the hole Jaune had made. The man sighs, pulling out his scroll. "Another failure..."

He missed the wide grin on Salem's face. After all, he couldn't sense what she could. Arthur couldn't sense that the boy had changed his Aura into something long lost to the world, only in the hands of six people. But with that boy... "Mark him as an asset to be retrieved. At all costs. Alive."


	6. A Stranger I Remain

**This story is inspired by 12interestingname34's story ****_The Chronicle Theatre Feat. Jaune Arc,_**** end of chp21, and chp22.**

**Someone left a review asking if Jaune became a Chaos Gore Magala armor set. He did not. He is a Shagaru Magala armor set, with pitch black (or blacker) scales where there was blue and yellow, and bone armor everywhere else as per Grimm usual. With a draconic muzzle-ish head.**

* * *

The existence that was the dragon growls as it walks down the path. It was hungry, but didn't know for what. The Grimm that were being killed didn't smell appetizing in the least, but there was something nearby that did. It wanted to feast on that... but it couldn't pinpoint which way to go. Also, something felt out of place. Its limbs... were still in the right places. The wings felt fine. It had a feeling like there was supposed to be a tail, but that was missing. The dragon's head... had full range of motion, its nostrils worked, and when it breathed out there was a tinge of ash from between its sharp fangs.

Still, something was... was...

_"...back to... myself..."_

The dragon freezes, a voice echoing through its head before the body rears back, eyes wide and jaws roaring. In just a few seconds though, _something_ formed over it. Turning the dragon... slowly... back into Jaune Arc. His clothes and all reformed, but there was something different now. The fit was tighter, his pale skin seemed more natural, and his hair had changed. No longer was Jaune blond. He now had a mop of frayed, damaged white hair upon his head. The young man's blue eyes were wide as he bends over, hands on his knees as he takes in rapid breaths. "I'm... I'm back... to myself!" He laughs a bit, bringing a hand up to his head. Huh, was that stubble? Jaune hadn't thought he'd had a healthy enough time in that place to start this again. It was his normal poor attempt at growing a beard too, it seemed. Bummer.

...he was out! He was OUT of that fucking place! Jaune didn't know if he should laugh or cry. There were at least three people he could have saved... if he knew which way he came from. It had been hard to recognize where he was going. And that was before fighting Grimm. The former blond shakes his head a bit. It didn't help get rid of the headache, but it did focus him a bit. The young man looks at his hands, shaking a bit. "...gotta find... somewhere to rest. I can't stay here for too long."

But just because he didn't recognize where he'd gone, didn't mean he didn't recognize being on the other side of a hunt. For all of Jaune's lack of experience with Grimm, they didn't come in and leave when possible. Those had been probing attacks, when he didn't outright kill them. Was it murder now, since he was also a Grimm? ...philosophy later. Safety now.

That meant starting to trudge along, looking around and taking it all in. Jaune didn't want to get ambushed by anything else and not have... at least an awareness of when it happened. He didn't know how well he'd be able to fend off the Grimm right now, but damn if he wouldn't give it his best shot!

Speaking of, it sounded like shots were being fired in the distance. The blon-former blond wouldn't be using whatever gun was there, but maybe they had a sword or knife he could use? A weapon would be great, after all. So with that in mind, he starts to run towards the gunshots.

* * *

"Where the hell did these things come from?!" A purple-haired woman cried out as she fired her shotguns at the Grimm advancing upon her and her living teammate. She and her team had been walking out here on the hunt for what a nearby village had said plagued them more than normal Grimm, something that looked humanoid. More than even Beowulfs did.

"Hell if I know, but I'm not going down without taking these bastards with me!" The redhead at her back said, using her own bones as a weapon. Currently, a serrated whip. It was a very effective one too, leaving the Boarbatusks and Ursas and Beowulfs in pieces while the hardier Grimm had bleeding cuts. "Dammit... why are they so aggressive? Thi-hurragh!" A tar-black creature recoiled at the whip's lashing and cutting its flesh. "This is outside normal Grimm patterns..."

At least their two dead teammates weren't seeing them be overrun like this. The redhead fires the tips of her fingers as bullets, grimacing as the holes in her fingers close up. She didn't have enough Aura left to power shots like that, but it was the easiest way to deal with Creeps. Now if only Creeps were the only thing they were dealing with... A clicking from behind her makes the redhead grimace. "Guess we'll be joining them soon..."

* * *

Jaune leans out from behind a tree. There was a lot of tracks of Grimm moving away from this clearing. And it was probably quite filled with Grimm corpses a few minutes ago. But at the moment? He frowns at the four bodies left. "...I'm sorry I couldn't help you. And, thank you for helping me."

The two women that looked to have been impaled at the same time, with how their bodies sat together and one was slumped further than the other, had a pair of shortswords in one set of hands, while the redhead... didn't have anything. Where were their packs? Maybe there was a campsite nearby that they left it all at. For now, he takes the two weapons from her hands. Turning to the other two corpses, both a bit farther away and looking more eaten than either of these two, Jaune picks up a staff with... Why did this orangette have all these balls at the ends of each section? Not like it mattered, he'd just leave it in this connected form. Whatever her Semblance was, this thing would work as a bludgeon still. And the last corpse, a man with dark hair, had a pair of empty scabbards at his back. On inspection, Jaune questioned why that woman had this man's weapons. Maybe a last resort when he was dying? He didn't know. Probably never would. So that was two people who primarily fought with their Aura and Semblances, going by the whip made of bone that was way too heavy for him to lift, and two weapon wielders. Interesting team comp... up until they encountered whatever did this.

It had to be a lot of Grimm if Jaune was counting the variety and sheer number of tracks right. Two weapons was better than nothing though. He'd stick to this weird staff first, seeing as there wasn't a carrier for it or the disconnected pieces on the orange-haired woman's corpse. If it broke, he had the shortswords as backup. With one last bow of his head to the corpses he didn't have time to dig graves for, the white-haired young man starts to head out.

The Grimm's tracks were his best bet right now. They may not have been controlled like the one's he vaguely recalled running into and through, but a legion of them like this? That kind of thing didn't wander aimlessly. There was enough collective sensing there that they'd go towards a collection of negativity, however small. Which was usually a new frontier town. And going by the fact the leaves over Jaune's head were in the middle of a shift into autumn colors like was normal outside Beacon's Emerald Forest and the giant area of Forever Fall, it'd be good to find somewhere he could stock up. Maybe learn where he was too. Six hours away by bullhead, even at a regulated speed, was way farther than his feet could take him in a day or two. He hadn't seen any water during the flights, but Jaune had also taken a nap for part of the second one. ...crap, did sleeping speed up or slow down that pill he'd taken? Well, that didn't have much bearing on what he had to do now.

Thank goodness for survival classes. Jaune didn't see any signs of civilization, but the Grimm didn't care for eating anything. So he was able to use this... Maybe not this bush. Ah, but that one would be fine. It'd be tart, but at least he'd be okay. Not able to rest though. That would have to come later. So with hope in his head and a plan in mind, Jaune Arc kept walking. There would be something to see soon... there had to be.


	7. Being Tracked By A Starving Beast

**This story is inspired by 12interestingname34's story ****_The Chronicle Theatre Feat. Jaune Arc,_**** end of chp21, and chp22.**

* * *

There was one good thing about so far away from the lights of a city, Jaune decided long ago. You could see the stars so clearly, when the trees didn't get in the way. It was the only real pleasure he could take in this place. And in memories that popped up. His parents took them all out camping some times, and the best slices of moments for him? Ones like these, where could just look up at the night sky and enjoy it all. Where the Arc family wasn't getting on his case for trivial things, and Jaune could just do as he wanted. But those days stopped a long time ago.

"...at least I can tell time again. That's good." It had been two days since he regained that ability, so he'd count it as three since he got free of that place. Considering what happened, he had wanted to go back and get Atalanta, those kids, and as many people as he could. But... he was just one man. One with little training and no idea where he was. "She's at least going to be stronger than me. Hopefully those kids are alright too..." Jaune chuckles to himself. "Should probably stop talking to myself, too. Not the healthiest thing."

"But certainly useful!" A distorted voice came from below. Looking down, the blo-former blond is surprised at the sight before him. So much so he ends up falling to the ground. After all, Grimm don't talk. And Beowulfs don't usually have armor or postures like that. It looked rather ceremonial, but at the same time, the tar black fur was a sure sign it was a creature he'd been training to kill. The bone armor were in some... odd configurations, though. The man looked like he was wearing some puffed out pants and a shirt with some kind of shawl, with bone-armor separating it all visibly. On his arms with some bone claws, aimed down and likely meant for use. "So I'll just be taking you back, Drake. The Doctor wants you for some more experimentation."

Jaune blinks. Drake? The hell was that supposed to be, his codename? Screw that noise. "I'm no Drake. And... much as going back with you would be advantageous, I'm not sure you'd let me do what I want back there."

The Grimm-human hybrid... sort of like himself... laughs, and the muzzle under a wide headdress grins. "No, probably not. Now just come along quietly... I don't want to hurt you. Much." That drew a response from something Jaune wasn't expecting.

He growls at the wolf-like thing. It bubbled up from deep in his chest and made the other experimented person back up. After all, while a wolf was high on the food chain normally, how did it compare to a _dragon_? Jaune kept the scowl that formed with the growl on his face. "Oh yeah? Well, I think we're both not getting what we want here." Running wouldn't work right now, so he takes a stance meant for fighting. He'd ruin this mutt's face. Facing strong opponents and coming out on top had been his whole thing in Beacon. There shouldn't be too much difference here, right?

"...alright. You wanna fight? I'll show the Doctor I'm top dog, and no lizards can stand up to Slashmaw!" With that, the now-named Grimm rushes forward. Far faster than Jaune himself had been capable of, but slower than even Yang.

And as Slashmaw sees from the dodged claw, Jaune's abilities were enhanced in his human form. He hadn't spent the last couple days just walking, after all. The young man slams an elbow into his opponent's side, learning a bit more about his strength and speed. After all, tearing part of a tree off its trunk was one thing. But seeing Slashmaw go through two trees himself, that was something else. Jaune flexes his hands.

Not even a bit of numbness, huh? That's certainly interesting. Now if only he could control the transformation, but there was just something... missing. Jaune looks as Slashmaw roars and runs back, one claw reared up for use. While the former student hops back, watching the claws sink into the ground, he misses something. Right until it hit him in the chest. The wolf hybrid had used the missed attack as a feint, leverage to kick Jaune hard.

Rolling along the dirt in a mockery of how he'd sent Slashmaw flying, Jaune groans a bit. That wasn't it. How would he get the transformation t-Jaune rolls away, his opponent laughing as he starts to slash and stab at the escapee's landing spot and moving form. "You're not going to beat me that easily, lizard punk!" It didn't take long for Jaune to get back on his feet, and he dodges the claw swipes a bit more easily now.

He'd redirect them with his arms if he thought there was a chance Jaune wouldn't lose them. He was still getting nicked now after all, who knows how eager Slashmaw would be to amputate his limbs when given an opportunity like that? Though, as Slashmaw went for a bit cross slash, his own shone through. Jumping back with a bit more force to avoid the long attack, Jaune charges forward while his opponent was dealing with the momentum changing his balance. A strong punch to his chest should...

"AH! FUCK!" Jaune stumbles back, having hit the bone armor right on. That had been stupid. Crocea Mors had been able to shear right through it, but that was an ancestral sword made with ancient forging techniques. He'd just tried to use his hand. Bad idea. Especially when Slashmaw's laughing retort was to run him through the stomach with the arm claws, and punching just above those too.

"Dumbass. Well, the Doctor won't need you. So let's see what your brains look like when I crush your head like an egg!" The wolf Grimm-man brings a leg up, and pushes Jaune off his claws with a huff. The young man, his body pierced and bleeding, can barely even groan as he lays on the ground.

Time seems to slow down as Slashmaw walks. _"No way... it can't end like this. I haven't... I haven't seen Nora again yet. Ren, Terra, Adrian... I'm not... **I'm not...**" _Another growl bubbles up from his chest. It turns into a roar, forcing Slashmaw away with the force of it. **"I'm not going to die to you!"**

Jaune slowly gets to his feet. The blood that had dripped from his torso stopped, and he glowed golden from some familiar cracks. "What th-how?! Why're yo-" Slashmaw was shut up as Jaune flashed, becoming his draconic self once more. His wings flexed before he spun to look at the wolf.

Once again, the wolf felt like retreating. He had no pack, so he had less will to try and win against the monster before him. His pack had been used up cannon fodder, and fodder. Now, Slashmaw had wished he hadn't done that. "You... You won't kill me! I'm Slashmaw, the greatest of the Doctor's Harrowed!"

Harrowed was what they were, huh? Good to know there was a name at least. Jaune, however, had more pressing matters to get to. Like screeching a challenge before moving to enact it. After all, this mutt had been trying to kill him. It only made sense that he'd answer in kind now that he had claws and fangs of his own.

So what had been a hard fight became almost laughable. After all, Slashmaw's bone armor couldn't stand up to Jaune's attacks. It cracked, and it shattered. And so too did the bones inside. In his rage, Jaune roars as he begins to pull at Slashmaw's own muzzle. The wolf let out an incoherent scream, thrashing to try and get free... and failing. The dragon rips the wolf's maw wide and watches as the blood spurts out. Black blood that smelled horrible, which was not what usually came out of people or Grimm.

Still, the now corpse had its own scent besides the blood. And to Jaune's Grimm-like nostrils... He can't help it.

He leans down, and bites into the wolf's chest. His dragon fangs go through the bone armor, the muscle, the fur, everything. And it tasted good. Jaune couldn't think of anything that tasted better. And as he ate, it became easier to eat. His hands, his nails, his claws, tore into the corpse easier. And soon, he was full. The Harrowed dragon leans back, looking at the limbs that were slowly disappearing. And he felt... satisfied. The meal was good. And a glance at his hands showed that the meal had helped his body. His claws and fangs were sharper.

Jaune leans back, his maw opening and letting loose a roar. And it was so _good_ to let it out!

But as he calms down, he thinks. And he looks. The dragon sees nothing wrong... but the human, he is horrified. Jaune would start hyperventilating if he was in his human form. Which reformed quickly, no holes in his stomach but there were holes in his clothes now. Perfectly sized to where he'd been impaled. Getting to his feet, Jaune runs. He doesn't know where he's going, he doesn't know what'll be there. But he runs.

Because there was nothing else to do. If he didn't run, he'd have to confront what happened. If he didn't run, he'd throw up what was the most satisfying and horrifying meal of the year. If he didn't run... Would he have Pyrrha?

That thought stops the white-haired man in his tracks. If he didn't run anyway from the cafeteria, would he have Pyrrha? Would he have a girlfriend waiting back at Beacon, instead of just a girl friend? ...running wouldn't solve anything. It wouldn't fix his heart. Jaune grimaces as he thinks through what just happened. "...at least I know one trigger now. But... I need to control it. It can't just be instinctual."

He backhands a tree, grimacing as the bark breaks. Not from pain, but because he still didn't have a way to control his transformations. And he needed that. The world wouldn't wait for him. Not now, not at Beacon, not in the Arc household. His blue eyes turn up, and with measured steps, he begins the trek again.

There were things to do and think about. And Jaune couldn't afford to let himself hold him back. Not ever again.


	8. Out Here Only The Strong Survive

**This story is inspired by 12interestingname34's story ****_The Chronicle Theatre Feat. Jaune Arc,_**** end of chp21, and chp22.**

* * *

Jaune looks down at his side. He should really remember that he had new swords. At least if he had, there wouldn't have been nearly broken hands before. The staff would be useful too. Ugh... Right, time to carry the thing instead of letting it hang on his back. He'd keep the staff's odd little holsters because who knew when he'd come upon other things that would fit. Jaune knew that life was weird like that. And so were Huntsman and Huntress weapons. There may have been a lot of customization, but that didn't mean it wasn't easy to pick out trends.

Especially at Beacon, where even his former team had fallen into three separate categories. Two sword and board, one mid-range specialist, and what he liked to call clobberer. Nora and Cardin shared that trait thanks to their main manner of engagement being blunt weapons, despite The Executioner's bladed look. Magnhild may have a grenade launcher form, but it was not used as her first option if the opponents were closing in. And it made conserving lien for ammo replacements easier. Grenades were expensive. Dust grenades even more so, especially with Torchwick and the White Fang going around stealing so much...

Giving the knobby staff a twirl curiously, he finds it was pretty well balanced. Pyrrha had let him try out Milo a few times, and he'd had the easiest time with the spear form for some reason. Maybe this would be his new thing, spears and staves? It certainly felt easier to move around than Crocea Mors... Well, there'd be time to figure that out later. Right now, he still had to find some manner of town or something. Wild fruits and berries could only sustain him so long. Though he was still a little full from yesterday, when he'd... Guh. Even if he was less prone to throwing up now, just thinking of what he'd done was hard. Jaune grimaces as he spits out the bits that came up before keeping on his way.

There had to be someone, somewhere...

* * *

Salem's face was not amused, looking at Arthur through the Seer. "Please, say that again, Arthur."

"Slashmaw has been killed. The tracker we had in his head has vanished. While we're working to find the last transmitted position, we're also assuming that he was taken down by Subject Drake. The Harrowed I have searching are under strict orders not to engage. Given Slashmaw's rather volatile personality post-Harrowing, I believe he disobeyed m-your orders. He was supposed to bring Drake back without consequence or undue harm. Given the sudden disappearance of the tracker, however..." Seeing the look in his mistress's red-on-black eyes, Arthur was glad he was only overseeing this part of it all on her orders. The Harrowed themselves were his proposal, and so far this and the other facility were turning out some quite intriguing results. But Drake was the only one who'd escaped so far. Salem had thought he'd be caught in a matter of hours.

It had been four days since the search began. Arthur Watts was not happy with this, so Salem was furious. And there was only so much he could do to keep her ire from affecting him. But while it went on, there was time for him to prove that killing him was not in her best interest. After all, there was quite a bit to report on the Harrowed that were still in their cages. So he begins to do that, reporting the positives now. Arthur had a good feeling about that, so he'd do what Merlot had been unable to: Use the Grimm to further humanity, though in a different direction. Honestly, breeding humans with Grimm... There was no such thing as a female Grimm, and none of the women had survived. The Faunus had last for a bit longer, but all of them suffered the same fate. Being literally eaten from the inside by your young, which then couldn't sustain itself so a corpse ate its way out of its mother's corpse and didn't get too far.

Arthur found his idea to use Salem's Grimmpool to inject people with had a much lower fatality rate, and even those failures had been useful. After all, having a different form of cannon fodder for future missions and certainly for what was coming up when Amity floated back to Vale next year would be quite advantageous. "I've taken to calling these Ashen. Their skin is nearly the same color as ash, and they will not simply be one at a time like normal Grimm, they will fall upon the people as so many ash flakes when a great fire bursts out."

"...be glad I keep you for your skills in science, Dr. Watts. Your flair for the dramatic needs some work if you wish that to be a selling point of any kind." His mustache twitches at those words. "However, Ashen is a good name for them. Very well. I expect an update on the Drake situation as soon as you have word he is in custody, Arthur."

"Of course, my lady. Once I have definitive proof he will not escape again, I shall let you know." ...so he was still alive. Ugh, that was too much for his heart... As the Seer floated away, Arthur straightens up and dusts off his coat. Time to get back to work. "Dusklife, status."

* * *

Jaune knocks a few Grimm away, grinning as he gives the staff a spin before leaning it against his side. "Come on, is that all you've got?" He looks around. Near a cliff's edge, he was surrounded by Beowolfs again, with some Boarbatusks mixed in. The only bone armor any of them had was on their faces, oddly enough. How old were these things? Well, whatever the case was, Jaune figured it wouldn't be long before someone came along to take responsibilities for these things attacking him. Until that time, he brings his staff up to a more hostile stance. Just because they weren't attacking didn't mean he shouldn't be prepared.

Which helped his body roll to a side, dodging under a thrown boulder. Coming up as it fell down the cliff, the former blond looks at who was there. Three Harrowed?! What in the name of the Brothers was this nonsense?! "Hello, Drake. Come back with us, why don't you? It'll save us all some trouble." One of the two female Harrowed asked, hanging from a tree by her feet. Jaune had never thought monkeys threatening besides Beringels, and yet here he was being proven wrong. Her feet had talons, the tips keeping her attached to the thick branch more than anything. Her tar-black fur was on display from her waist up, with bone armor seemingly looking like a croptop. Her hanging arms were covered in round bulges of white, which probably served a different purpose than just defense going by the way they were disconnected from the other bulges on her arms. The monkey Harrowed's head was covered in a mask that looked a lot like a Beringel's, but with thinner bones and spikes at the cheeks that would probably have cut into her arms if they were normal.

"Or you can not. I want to see why you're such a big deal to the Doctor. Fight me!" The other female Harrowed looked a lot more like some general from one of his comics. Besides the tar-black fur of a Grimm, her bone armor looked much more like clothes, if ones meant to accentuate her body that was in peak fighting shape, with giant furry feet. But at her head, there was just one bit of bone that covered an eye without blocking vision straight ahead and formed one single horn. Her left arm was covered in spiky bones, probably her main weapon. Jaune didn't want to be hit by any of her, but still.

The last member of the trio was a man still in human form. "...but if you do surrender, please do so soon. I want to get back and nap." He lets out a loud yawn, his brown hair a short curtain around his long face. Jaune wonders why this guy, clearly wearing some sort of police officer's uniform, was working with Harrowed so easily. However, going by the hole in the ground behind him, had that guy thrown the boulder instead of either of the ones in their Grimm form? "It'll be a lot easier if you just don't fight, y'know?"

"...gonna have to decline that. I don't want anything to do with you guys." Jaune tries to find that part of him that would transform as he watches the three most dangerous things here. There was a crowd of Grimm behind him, but he knew where to keep his eyes. "So why don't you just... go. I'm not going to let you three keep me from my goal."

...there it was. Giving his staff a toss into the air, he crosses his arms above his white hair and brings them down with a yell. In a golden flash, 'Drake' stood before the other Harrowed. The man didn't do anything, watching as Jaune caught the staff and quickly figure out how to use it along with his wings. Though he noticed there were some indentations on it. Boy didn't know his own strength, huh?

The woman with a spiky arm grins, walking forward. Her face was the most human currently, despite it being covered in fur blacker than the night. "A fight it is! Stay back, Simiana. I'll take him down, and we can bring his amputated corpse back to the Doc!" She winds up her shoulder a bit, laughing at the excitement a fight gave her.

The monkey Harrowed shrugs. "Sure. Have fun, Volima." Simiana continues watching as the Harrowed with a spiked arm rushes forward with a yell.

"DON'T BORE ME!" _**Clang**_ rang out as Jaune deflected her punch with his staff. Volima was apparently having the time of her life, pushing forward and being pushed back in a cycle. Jaune grimaces, the sight of his maw doing such being something any normal human would run from quickly. Not these three. As the sounds of combat rang out, the draconic former Huntsman-in-Training kicks his opponent away. She skids along the ground, and lets out another laugh. "YES! You are a worthy opponent, Drake! Show me your prowess!"

During the short reprieve, Jaune takes stock of his weapons. Well, weapon. He didn't have access to the short swords right now for some reason. But his staff, which probably stood up to a lot of things without so much as a scratch, was beginning to dent. Volima's attacks were very hard. His bones would probably be vibrating if he wasn't a Grimm right now. As it was, he didn't think he'd be able to take her down. Jaune watches the woman rush at him and begins to think. She was a battle maniac on a level he'd never seen before, the sort of person who'd probably enjoy a chase too. So while he plays defensive for this next round, he listens... and measures.

And on an attack he defends, the dragon tilts his staff a bit, shaving off the blunt end so it was a point. Turning his impromptu spear on Volima, he thrusts. As predicted, she sidesteps. As he swipes, she steps back. Jaune pulls his arm back a bit, and does something Pyrrha had given him a scolding about.

He throws his weapon with an underhand grip, the staff turned projectile flying in such a way that even Volima squeaked at. She jumps further back, landing on a Beowolf and killing it instantly. Looking back to her opponent, she blinks. "Wha-hey! Get back here!"

But Jaune was already over the cliff's edge himself. His wings would be quite the boon to getting away, using the fall to get speed and be able to glide far from the three Harrowed. They assembled, looking at his form becoming a speck before Jaune dipped below the tree line. But considering just how far down that was... "Fuck. Now what do we do?"

"We go back to the Doctor, tell him Drake got away. Again. Wings are indeed usable, so we couldn't give chase." The man looks at Volima boredly before yawning again. "Come on. Might as well head back now." He glances at Simiana. "Can you even get out of there on your own?"

She was stuck in the tree by her talons... and couldn't reach up. While she was acrobatic, there were apparently some things she could not do like this. "No. Help please."


	9. Have You Ever Believed In A Mirage?

**This story is inspired by 12interestingname34's story ****_The Chronicle Theatre Feat. Jaune Arc,_**** end of chp21, and chp22.**

* * *

Jaune was glad he had managed to figure out how to fly and not just glide. This was quite the liberating feeling... but the fact he couldn't see Beacon or Vale City or anything like a town in any direction was bad. At the very least, he couldn't go back the way he came. Who knew how many Harrowed were that way? He'd rather take his chances in the wild. And with his mode of transportation that took up so much less energy, after getting high enough, he figured this way would do fine. Or at least until his stomach said it was time to dive and get some food.

But that became a bit harder to do when he figured out just transforming took up energy and made his stomach empty faster. Sure, flying was quick... but was it worth it when he'd need to stop for more frequent picking at his new rations? And that was without things becoming harder to find as he went. Jaune was quite perplexed by that, walking down an animal trail. Why was he not finding as many berries or things as he had before? There weren't a lot of animals around, and Grimm certainly didn't eat anything besides humans and Faunus, so...

His answer came as he blinks at a pair of kids. They were dressed simply, and looked like they were just trying to idle the time away. The former blond approaches them, figuring one of two, maybe three, things would happen. "Hello! Would you kids be willing to point me to any towns nearby?"

The two brunettes looked up at him, eyes wide. Without a word, they got up and ran away. Well, maybe A word. "AAAAAAHHHHHH!" was considered one, right? He'd ask some professor later. Seeing that the second possibility he'd imagined had occurred, Jaune follows after them. Even if it was just a single home they lived in with their parents, directions would be quite nice.

Jaune grins some as he sees the kids run not into a house, but into a town. He walks towards it, intending to talk with the guard there at the gate. The man with a simple rifle looks up from the scampering children to see a white-haired young man waving at him. ...maybe the barrel pointed at him should have been expected. "Halt! What did you do to those two?!"

"Came out of the woods, asked them if they could point me to any towns. They... didn't. So I came to follow them."

The guard didn't look too convinced. "And what about those swords?! You better not have used them any..."

That would have made him laugh if Jaune didn't think that would make things harder. He may not have been the most tactful, but he did know unexpected laughter was not the best response in most cases. "Nope! Just waved, said hi, asked, and off they went. Why would anyone want to threaten a couple of kids?" He knew well enough, considering he was the middle child of eight children. Sometimes you only got through to younger minds with some harsh language. But thankfully, Jaune hadn't needed to use that on his sisters in a few years... the few times he got them to listen. And not get immediately punished for being stern with them because of his place in his parents' minds...

"Oi, kid! Listen when you're bein' talked to!" Woops! Stuck in his own head, it seemed. Jaune blinks at the guard, and the small group of adults behind him. "What's your name?!"

"...Jaune Arc. I'm from a little town a few hours away from Mistral City. I used to be a student at Beacon Academy, but someone had me expelled." The guard raises an eyebrow at that while the others begin muttering among themselves. "I was trying to get to Mistral City, but the bullhead... had an accident. I wasn't the only survivor, but I didn't want to go back to Vale City. Though, I think I'm a little lost..."

"Boy, you certainly are. This is definitely Anima you're on, but you're a good ways east of Mistral still. You ain't got a compass, do ya?" He shook his head. He hadn't gone searching that hard through the corpses he'd taken these short swords from. "Right. So you'll wanna go get one, and some other supplies from here. Come back when you've got all that and I ca-"

"I don't... have any lien."

"...that would keep you from buying things." The guard rubs at his face, and looks behind him. Most of the people who'd gathered earlier were gone. But a few were left and it was to the woman with green hair he pointed. "Verdene, didn't you still have some crops to pull up?"

She blinks, looking at the guard curiously before following his jerked eyes to Jaune... and her grey eyes lit up in understanding. "I do. Mr... Arc, was it? Why don't you come with me? I can't pay you much in a day, but I can certainly get you set up over the next few days to get you able to pay your way out and towards Mistral."

Jaune's eyes widened. These people were total strangers. And they were just offering him a job, like that? What could possibly be the reason they'd do that?! The guard picked up on his disbelief, grinning. "You ain't ever been far out from the big cities, huh kid? Hands are needed beyond our own. You've got 'em, so why not put you to work. It'll speed things up for us and we can get you on the way out without having to be too charitable."

"...I, really appreciate that. Thank you, so much!"

* * *

Farm work, for all Jaune's strength, was still something he couldn't do without sweating like a pig. He'd been doing work like this back before Beacon. It was hard work, honest work. It was fun. And for two weeks, he did this interspersed with his training with the short swords. He needed to be able to use them with some proficiency if he wanted to beat back Grimm without becoming one himself.

And that was certainly something he kept from the townsfolk. His practice in his other form, it would send anyone running. But Jaune began to realize that as he practiced, the hunger that came with the transformations became easier to bear. It was quite good he had. But still, he couldn't stay too long. Working with Verdene at her farm was fun, but... Jaune gathered lien for supplies. And when he was ready, he bid the town farewell.

Or tried to. "Come on, Verdene. I can't... stay for... too long! You know that!"

"NOOOO don't go! You're the best farmhand I've had in months, stay! I can, I can triple your pay! You already do enough work to earn it, in and out of the house! Don't go Jaune, I _need_ you!" The greenette was holding on to Jaune's leg. The white-haired young man was trying to trudge through the street as everyone else watched. Verdene had been living with the Arc's trained house skills for two weeks and to lose it so soon? At all? That was not what she wanted to happen! If they weren't in public, she may have said some different things but with all these witnesses?

"Darn it, Verdene, let... GO!" Jaune stumbles a bit as he finally frees himself from the woman's grip. "Bye, everyone! Have a good life!" He begins to run before anyone could try to grapple him again. The sound of Verdene's despairing cry would probably draw in some Grimm, but he could kill them on the way. Jaune had a place to go, and that was to Mistral. A full team or two of their Huntsmen and Huntresses would be needed to get everyone out of that damned facility.

But first, he had to get on the road. It'd be much easier than getting to this town, since the guardsman had 'sold' him his old motorcycle, for ten lien. The guy didn't need it any more, he said, and it was going to a good cause. Jaune may not have had the easiest time riding it at first, but as he began tearing down the unpaved path, that week of practice had done him well. He was a little tempted to transform, see if that did anything to things he was riding... but he'd keep that to himself for now. After all, the town was still in his sight. So he was definitely in view of the guardtower. Being chased from behind was the last thing he wanted.

...man, feeling the wind whipping at him from the ground was a different experience. Glancing at the HUD of the helmet, he saw there was still a mostly full tank. So he'd be feeling this for a while yet. That was nice. Jaune was enjoying this and he looked forward to more. The small things were probably the only things he'd be able to enjoy now. After all, he was on a mission. Jaune needed to get the people out of there, and take out any other Harrowed he met along the way.

Those three he'd seen, it would not make sense if they were the only ones around. Four, actually, he nearly forgot Slashmaw. Jaune grits his teeth. Too many people had been put through those experiments. He wouldn't let things go on if he could help it.

So now, it was his responsibility to help them. Jaune Arc would put them out of their misery and if he was able, he'd help those he could. Hopefully more than him kept their minds... or just fought longer. It had been... almost two months since their initial abduction, right? There were bound to be people stronger than him. More capable of fighting back against the Harrowing than him. There had to be!

But, he'd learn... everyone had a breaking point.


End file.
